The politics of Bavaria have been especially prone to separatist and religious cleavages. The state saw two manifestations of extreme radicalism during the Weimar Republic, that is the formation of a soviet republic in 1918-19, and the birth of Nazism. From these experiences distinct patterns emerged in Bavarian politics, the most enduring of which has been the development of an autonomous "Christian Social" party, the CSU. The party's leader since 1962 has been the pugnacious, independent-minded Franz-Josef Strauss, who has overseen its dual role as protector of Bavarian separatism and guardian of German conservatism. This has proved very popular in electoral terms, and the party's claim to be the "Staatspartei" is hard to refute. This book traces the origins of Bavaria's peculiar political culture, explaining both the state's rejection of the "secularisation" of German politics and the phenomenon of Franz-Josef Strauss's long political dominance.
- ISBN10 1850650411
- ISBN13 9781850650416
- Publish Date 30 December 1991
- Publish Status Cancelled
- Out of Print 22 September 2004
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 192
- Language English